We don’t need no legislation

Is the proposed legislation needed ?

The proposed Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill has caused great concerns to be raised by not only Celtic fans but fans of many clubs.

The Scottish Government and others are adamant that they need to bring in these laws to combat sectarianism, bigotry and online hate campaigns. However it is felt by many that we already have the laws in place to deal with these crimes already.

On Wednesday a person appeared on petition at Stirling Sheriff Court in relation to the creating of websites which carried sectarian hate messages about Celtic manager Neil Lennon.

The charges brought were:

Breach of the Peace

Breach of the Peace with religious aggravation

Breach of Section38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2002

We should highlight that in accordance with the law this person is presumed as innocent until proven guilty of these charges. However this example serves to show that current legislation can deal with the problems we face.

These charges suggest to me and many others that we do have sufficient laws in place to bring someone before a court and therefore there is absolutely no need for this ill thought out legislation to proceed to law.

It appears to support the idea that there is in fact no need for any new laws or powers for the Police.

It has been clear to many of us that the only reason this situation has came about is down to the fact that the Police and politicians in this country have turned a deaf ear to the mass sectarian and racist singing coming from Rangers supporters which has grown to disgusting proportions over the past ten years.

Instead of enforcing the existing laws the Police and also the SFA and SPL have stood by and done nothing. The only people to have done anything to tackle this disgusting behaviour are UEFA who it must be noted are not based in Scotland.

The proposed Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill will not do anything to stamp out sectarianism or racism in this country it will simply introduce blanket criminalisation of football fans.

What will help stamp out Sectarianism and racism is for the Police to do their job right within the existing legal framework. We as a society can also help by educating young people that this type of stuff is simply wrong and has no place in modern multicultural Scotland.

We ask all fans regardless of which team you support who believe that this legislation is flawed and unnecessary to contact their MSP and ask them to vote against this proposition becoming law.

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9 thoughts on “We don’t need no legislation”

My main problem with this law is that it any fan from any club are liable to arrest at any game. Aberdeen fans wanting to get ride of a manager start singing “(insert managers name) get to f*ck at an after match protest. Under the proposed law they could be arrested. Charged under this law folks will think you have been sectarian, as that is the way it’s being portrayed in the media.
Here’s a number of other examples I think of.

2 people walking done the street one going to a football match the other off shopping with the Mrs. Both are singing a clearly Sectarian song, who gets lifted & under which law?

As a silly youth 30 years ago someone got F*ck The Queen/pope on his forarm, on a hot day going to a match he’s wearing a short sleeve top, his he likely to get arrested?

Got lot more examples like these but I will not bore you at the present time.

Listening to Mcbride on Celtic under grounds pod a few weeks ago one comment stuck in my
mind which wasn’t that well picked up, he said
something along the lines of police will use common sense, – use common sense my fear and I think i will be prove right on this is that they will not use common sense and it will be a free arrest warrant for officers.

No, there is already more than enough legislation to tackle ‘sectarianism’ and racism whether it is at the football or elsewhere.

Sadly, the law seems aimed at widening the scope and definition of what is ‘offensive’; a disaster waiting to happen. It is an absolute dog’s dinner so I was surprised to hear Paul McBride so in favor, though of course, considering he was sent a bomb in the post explains that. The cynic in me points out that at the end of the day he is just another lawyer and anything that widens the scope of law (and thus potential clients) can only help him, but as I say, that is me probably being overly cynical!

Wooooahhhhh!! The Celtic Network were all for this legislation a few days ago….even inventing meaningless Polls and deleting comments that undermined their position….at what point was their eyes opened? The Sash is LEGAL, ""Build My Gallows High" is LEGAL…..and will remain so…..ask Strathclyde police if you dont believe me!…..who did you ever imagine the legislators were coming for…..Its YOU and the Green Brigade!!!

Tell you what if you can find anywhere on TCN when we were all for this legislation I’ll personally send you £100. All you need to do is reply with the piece of text where TCN stated we were all for this legislation and the £100 is yours.

And you should really stop printing lies. The only content deleted on TCN are replies that contain personal abuse towards others who post. So I’m still waiting for you to produce your proof that this site wanted this legislation. 🙂

kind of sad i think but what would you suggest to combat the obvious problems? maybe it may work. i remember when anfield was made all seater everybody condemed the idea but guess what familys can go watch football now where they couldn't do that in the 70's just beat the orange brigade this season more important
LFC GCFC supporter scouse irish catholic assc member Michael

Thanks for your comment Michael. I feel that we can tackle this under existing legislation it’s just getting the Police to properly enforce the existing laws which sadly on a whole they have failed to.